Several of these players are committed to playing in Europe next season, but it does allow the Isles to maintain their NHL rights (ala Jesse Joensuu, who will give another crack at making the NHL this fall).

The Dallas Stars recently posted a good explanation of this process, excerpted below:

<<Teams are required to extend a one-year "qualifying offer" to any current restricted free agent by June 25 in order to receive the right of the first refusal or draft choice compensation should that respective player sign an offer sheet with another NHL club. The qualifying offers will expire at 4 p.m. (Central Time) on Thursday, July 15.

Qualifying offers fall into three categories:

1. A player whose prior year salary was equal or less than $660,000 must receive a qualifying offer of 110% of their prior year's salary.

2. A player whose prior year salary was more than $660,000 and up to $1 million must receive a qualifying offer of 105% of their prior year's salary (but in no event shall such qualifying offer exceed $1 million).

3. A player whose prior year salary was more than $1 million must receive a qualifying offer at 100% of their prior year's salary.

If a team does not give a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent, he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and can sign with any team with no compensation required to the player's former club.

>>

Mike Fornabaio notes the Isles did not qualify McNeely, Romano, Riendeau (obtained in the Rolston trade) and Alexandrov (obtained from Boston in late March for futures). None of these players ever appeared in a game for the Isles. The non-qualifiers will become unrestricted FAs on Sunday.

Also not qualified today: Blake Comeau (per James Mirtle). The Flames would have had to offer a $2.5 million QO to keep Comeau, who went 5-10-15 in 58 games for Calgary, after starting the season pointless in 16 games for the Isles. Comeau is still only 26, so I'm sure he'll get another chance somewhere, albeit at a significant pay cut.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick